NDOT District 3 Field Equipment - ITS Roadway Equipment Functionality

Subsystem Description

'ITS Roadway Equipment' represents the ITS equipment that is distributed on and along the roadway that monitors and controls traffic and monitors and manages the roadway itself. This physical object includes traffic detectors, environmental sensors, traffic signals, highway advisory radios, dynamic message signs, CCTV cameras and video image processing systems, grade crossing warning systems, and ramp metering systems. Lane management systems and barrier systems that control access to transportation infrastructure such as roadways, bridges and tunnels are also included. This object also provides environmental monitoring including sensors that measure road conditions, surface weather, and vehicle emissions. Work zone systems including work zone surveillance, traffic control, driver warning, and work crew safety systems are also included.

Functional Object: Roadway Barrier System Control

'Roadway Barrier System Control' includes the field equipment that controls barrier systems used to control access to transportation facilities and infrastructure. Barrier systems include automatic or remotely controlled gates, barriers and other access control systems.

Functional Object: Roadway Basic Surveillance

'Roadway Basic Surveillance' monitors traffic conditions using fixed equipment such as loop detectors and CCTV cameras.

Functional Object: Roadway Field Management Station Operation

'Roadway Field Management Station Operation' supports direct communications between field management stations and the local field equipment under their control.

Functional Object: Roadway Incident Detection

'Roadway Incident Detection' provides incident detection using traffic detectors and surveillance equipment. It monitors for unusual traffic conditions that may indicate an incident or processes surveillance images, watching for potential incidents. It provides potential incident information as well as traffic flow and images to the center for processing and presentation to traffic operations personnel.

Functional Object: Roadway Infrastructure Monitoring

'Roadway Infrastructure Monitoring' monitors the condition of pavement, bridges, tunnels, associated hardware, and other transportation–related infrastructure (e.g., culverts). It includes sensors that monitor the infrastructure and the communications necessary to report this data to a center or vehicle–based maintenance system.

Functional Object: Roadway Passive Monitoring

'Roadway Passive Monitoring' monitors passing vehicles for a signature that can be used to recognize the same vehicle at different points in the network and measure travel times. Depending on the implementation and the penetration rate of the technology that is monitored, other point traffic measures may also be inferred by monitoring the number of vehicles within range over time. Today this approach is implemented most commonly using a Bluetooth receiver that passively monitors Bluetooth devices on–board passing vehicles and license plate readers that record the vehicle license plate number, but any widely deployed vehicle communications technology or feature that can be passively monitored to uniquely identify a vehicle could be used.

Functional Object: Roadway Safeguard System Control

'Roadway Safeguard System Control' includes field equipment that controls safeguard systems for transportation facilities and infrastructure. Safeguard systems include blast shields, exhaust systems and other automatic or remotely controlled systems intended to mitigate the impact of an incident.

Functional Object: Roadway Signal Control

'Roadway Signal Control' includes the field elements that monitor and control signalized intersections. It includes the traffic signal controllers, detectors, conflict monitors, signal heads, and other ancillary equipment that supports traffic signal control. It also includes field masters, and equipment that supports communications with a central monitoring and/or control system, as applicable. The communications link supports upload and download of signal timings and other parameters and reporting of current intersection status. It represents the field equipment used in all levels of traffic signal control from basic actuated systems that operate on fixed timing plans through adaptive systems. It also supports all signalized intersection configurations, including those that accommodate pedestrians. In advanced, future implementations, environmental data may be monitored and used to support dilemma zone processing and other aspects of signal control that are sensitive to local environmental conditions.

Functional Object: Roadway Standard Rail Crossing

'Roadway Standard Rail Crossing' manages highway traffic at highway–rail intersections (HRIs) where operational requirements do not dictate advanced features (e.g., where rail operational speeds are less than 80 miles per hour). Either passive (e.g., the crossbuck sign) or active warning systems (e.g., flashing lights and gates) are supported depending on the specific requirements for each intersection. These traditional HRI warning systems may also be augmented with other standard traffic management devices. The warning systems are activated on notification of an approaching train by interfaced wayside equipment. The equipment at the HRI may also be interconnected with adjacent signalized intersections so that local control can be adapted to highway–rail intersection activities. Health monitoring of the HRI equipment and interfaces is performed; detected abnormalities are reported through interfaces to the wayside interface equipment and the Traffic Management Center.

Functional Object: Roadway Traffic Information Dissemination

'Roadway Traffic Information Dissemination' includes field elements that provide information to drivers, including dynamic message signs and highway advisory radios.

Functional Object: Roadway Work Zone Safety

'Roadway Work Zone Safety' includes field elements that detect vehicle intrusions in work zones and warns crew workers and drivers of imminent encroachment. Crew movements are also monitored so that the crew can be warned of movement beyond the designated safe zone.